Coaches call for Nolden's removal
Association questions selection process

JIM MORRIS
Canadian Press

The Canadian Swimming Coaches Association has demanded that the Canadian Olympic Association suspend Shauna Nolden's appointment as Canada's first female swimming coach at the Summer Olympics until a new selection process is developed.

A COA official said yesterday the request, in the form of a letter, is very unusual and it was too early to comment on what action will be taken.

Nolden's lawyer, Alan D'Silva, called the letter sour grapes from people who were passed over for the selection.

In the letter, the coaches association said it strongly endorses Swim Canada's goal of developing women coaches, but argues Nolden's selection "was not implemented through a clear and inclusive process with objective and tangible criteria.

"This lack of formal process undermines all swim coaches in Canada, specifically women coaches."

Since the COA has until Aug. 6 to select the team and coaches heading to the Sydney Olympics, the association asks that "the current nomination . . . be temporarily suspended until an approved process can be applied to all candidates qualifying."

The association said a process reviewing "performance, certification, published criteria and due process" should be used to select the woman coach.

John Vadeika, president of the association, which represents 900 coaches across the country, said the action is not a criticism of Nolden or her abilities.

"We're in support of a woman being in there," he said. "We feel very strongly that an appropriate process should be instituted that includes everyone that is available.

"If it is deemed that [Nolden] is the best appointee, that would be fantastic. If it is deemed another individual should go, that's okay, too."

Some people in the swimming community feel national team coach Dave Johnson flouted an established selection criteria when he named Nolden, 26, as one of eight coaches going to the Olympics.

Unlike the seven men, Nolden does not coach a swimmer on the Olympic team.

Others believe there are at least three other women more qualified for the Olympic coaching berth than Nolden. They include Lucy Hewitt of Oakville, Ont., who had a swimmer at last year's Pan Pacific Championships; Michelle Wilson of Delta, B.C., a coach at the 1998 Commonwealth Games; and Linda Kiefer of Toronto, head coach at last year's World University Games.

Kiefer has called Nolden's appointment "a giant step backward for women in coaching."

D'Silva is defending the selection process.

"A process was followed, albeit a different process than the other seven coaches, because of the way the vacancy came up," he said.

"Our position is the process was quite proper and she is very qualified to be there. All the stuff that happened after the fact really is a form of sour grapes from people who would have liked to have had their name there or would have liked to have seen someone they are associated with put forward."

Mark Lowry, executive director of sports and programs for the COA, said he'd prefer Swim Canada and the coaches settle the dispute among themselves.

He was unaware of any example of the COA blocking a national sport federation's choice of coach.

"I'm not aware of where the COA would arbitrarily make a decision that would have not followed the due process within the national sport federation," he said.

"It does address the issue of team selection. That is within the responsibility of our team selection committee to review. There is the possibility that [Nolden's selection] could be reviewed."

Reprinted with permission

Back to Swimming Index